Jeremiah P. Ostriker facts for kids

Jeremiah Paul Ostriker (born April 13, 1937 – died April 6, 2025) was an American astrophysicist. He was a professor of astronomy at Columbia University. He also held a special professor title at Princeton University. Besides his teaching, Ostriker was also a university administrator. He served as the Provost of Princeton University.

Early Life and Education

Jeremiah Ostriker was born in Manhattan, New York City. His father, Martin Ostriker, owned a clothing company. His mother, Jeanne Ostriker, was a public school teacher. He grew up with three siblings.

Ostriker became interested in science when he was young. He often taught himself difficult subjects, like calculus. He felt he learned better on his own than in school. He earned his first degree from Harvard University. Later, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Career and Discoveries

After finishing his Ph.D., Ostriker did more research at the University of Cambridge. From 1971 to 1995, he was a professor at Princeton University. He then became the Provost of Princeton from 1995 to 2001. A Provost is a senior leader who helps manage a university.

From 2001 to 2003, he was a special professor at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge. He then returned to Princeton. In 2012, he became a professor of astronomy at Columbia University.

Dark Matter and Galaxies

Ostriker was very important in developing the idea of dark matter. This theory suggests that most of the mass in the universe cannot be seen. His research also looked at the space between stars, how galaxies change, and black holes.

He was also known for the Ostriker–Peebles criterion. This idea helps explain how galaxies stay stable.

Sloan Digital Sky Survey

On June 20, 2013, Ostriker received an award from the White House. This was for his role in starting the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This project makes huge amounts of astronomical data available to everyone online. It helps scientists and the public learn more about the universe.

Personal Life

Jeremiah Ostriker married Alicia Ostriker in 1958. Alicia is a well-known poet and writer. They had three children: Rebecca, Eve, and Gabriel. Their daughter, Eve, also became an astrophysics professor at Princeton University. Jeremiah and Alicia Ostriker lived in Princeton, New Jersey.

Jeremiah Ostriker passed away on April 6, 2025, in Manhattan. He was 87 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Ostriker received many awards and honors for his work. These include:

• Membership of the National Academy of Sciences (1974)
• Membership of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1975)
• Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy (1972)
• Henry Norris Russell Lectureship (1980)
• Karl Schwarzschild Medal (1999)
• National Medal of Science (2000)
• Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement (2001)
• Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (2004)
• Elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society (2007)
• Bruce Medal (2011)
• James Craig Watson Medal (2012)
• White House Champion of Change (2013)
• Gruber Prize in Cosmology (2015)
• Elected a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society (2020)